Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Third Chances ❯ Who Are You To Judge? ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4

Who Are You To Judge?

 

 

Disclaimer: I don't own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up.

 

I would like to first personally thank all of those reviewing my stories. I enjoy reading your comments, and try to correct the grammatical errors I miss with my final read-through as well as my spell checkers. The suggestions you all make will help make this story better for everyone to enjoy, as well as allow my to fix some plot holes I may unintentionally leave. If you find any, let me know, and I will correct them and repost the chapters.

 

I find that if I let thinks sit for a while in my head; I can play them out farther. Plus by trying and keeping my chapters between 2500 and 3000+ words, it helps keep me from making the story slide out of control, turning a diamond to a pile of shit.

 

Please feel free to review, and make comments. If you find a spelling or wordage mistake, feel free to let me know. Thank you.

 

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After a full two hours, Nabiki was mentally exhausted, her legs numb from sitting so long, the only movement the occasional jump when Nodoka would thrust the Saotome Honor Sword into the table when Nabiki explained some of Genma's mistakes. It was sufficient to say the table would not be usable when Nabiki finished her story, noticing how many new holes the table had, as well as the little pieces Nodoka would rip off while Nabiki was informing her of details.

 

She tried every imaginable trick to make Nodoka see Ranma in a positive light, hoping that when she finally revealed his curse, that he was in fact Ranko Tendo, that she would see beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was truly a man among men; but praying that she could get her to acknowledge the contract fulfilled and destroy it beforehand, as it was better safe than a widow.

 

“Auntie, are you OK?”

 

Nodoka just sat there; sword still embedded into the table, muttering about cats, bread feuds, perverted masters, worthless husbands, and with tears, the sadness about having trusted Genma to do any type of good job raising her son. She slowly raised her eyes, red from the recent crying she has done. “Please child, before you tell me anymore, please tell me, is my son manly?”

 

Nabiki was grateful for the break, as her own heart was feeling the sorrow of the tale just as much as Nodoka's was. “Yes Auntie, despite everything Genma has done to and against him, your son holds his honor above all else, even his own life or happiness. He refuses to choose which woman he will marry, knowing it will dishonor those he does not choose. I have seen him risk everything to save those he cares about, shows mercy to his enemies, even though they will certainly attack him again, try to become a better person and grow beyond his father's mistakes, and fight battles he knows he cannot win as long as there is a chance it will help someone. He is by every old and new definition, a man among men. Even at his worst times, he is more of a man than even my father or his own.”

 

The smile that shown itself on Nodoka's face was worth the pain she had endured so far, making it worth what she was about to do. “Auntie, I ask that you declare the seppuku agreement fulfilled, and allow your son to return to you, knowing that you love him. I ask this now as I must continue my story, and fear that his fears of what has happened to him will make you hate him.”

 

The smile faded from Nodoka's face again. “And what, prêt ell, has happened to my son that would make me question his manliness?”

 

Damn it, I was so close! “Auntie, thanks to his father, your son has acquired a curse that though it changes his appearance, and makes him feels weak; it has helped him on many occasions perform his duties as a martial artist, as well as reverse the damage that the mindset of Genma has tried to teach him. In my opinion and the opinion of all those who he has helped and who recognize him as the man he truly is, will attest that even in his cursed state, he is more of a man of honor than his father. But the fear that when you learn of this curse will result in you asking for his life, has led him to hide from you. I do not need to tell you Auntie how much it hurts him, to know that he can never see and hug his mother, for fear it will be the last thing he does. He fears the disappointment you might have because he is cursed as such, unable to change it, and despite multiple attempts, unable to cure it. The stresses his father has placed on both his personal honor and his life has made him on a few occasions want to come to you, hoping that you will find him wanting, and end his suffering in this life, satisfying the honor of all those Genma has betrayed, all the friends he has lost, because of your husband's greed and malice.

 

“Auntie, I know this may seem cruel, and even may seem deceitful of me, but I do care about your son. He has helped me realize the emptiness of my life, and it is beyond anything I can ever do to pay him back for that. I know I have your word that even when I reveal the curse to you, you will not take any action against your son, but I am begging you to destroy that contract and declare it fulfilled. Your son was tricked by his father into signing it, told it was a goodbye letter to you, and now must suffer the fact that he may never be able to see his mother the way he wants to ever again.

 

“I beg you, with all my heart and soul Auntie, declare it fulfilled and destroy it now! Allow your son to return to the only real family he has left!”

 

Nodoka was torn. Whatever the curse was, it was enough to make her son fear her displeasure at him, as well as cause Nabiki, a girl she had always seen as the calm, calculating type, beg for her son's life, saying that the curse never changed who he really was. Her mind began to wander, trying to think of what type of curse could make her declare her son unmanly, but her mind drew no ideas, and the only person who did know close to her refused to share it until she destroyed the contract. “Nabiki, do you love my son?”

 

“I don't know Auntie. It is because of him I have grown to be a better person; it is because of him that my family will now not have to fear about money for the next year. He has shared with me something that I will always cherish, but I am afraid that I have not spent much time considering my feelings for him. I always saw his heart belonged to Akane, though I have seen that love shrink since my younger sister refuses to trust him, refuses to place her feelings for him above her own insecurities, and I have seen him suffer because of it. If offered the chance, I would gladly accept the engagement to him for the Tendo-Saotome agreement, but I will not sacrifice my sister for it. I can't say I have had enough time to see if I truly love him, but I do know I have deep feelings for him.”

 

“If I asked you to face his punishment if I found him wanting, would you willingly take his place?”

 

“Yes, but I would be unable to do so Auntie for at most a year.”

 

Nodoka was intrigued. “Why a year?”

 

“That has to deal with another secret I have come to tell you Auntie, a reason I have come asking your help with dealing with the mess Genma has made, with making your son's life happy again. I cannot and will not tell you anymore until you declare that contract fulfilled and destroyed.”

 

She was amused. The Tendo girl admitted to feelings for Ranma, cared enough for him to offer her head instead of his; a sign of how deep her feelings were for him, even willing to sacrifice herself for Ranma, but only after a year. Why? There obviously was something here, something that she was hiding besides her son's curse, whatever that was. Nabiki had spent the last few hours portraying Ranma in the best light possible, occasionally including the small mistakes he made, the enemies who hated him because of his open attitude of holding nothing back, of only speaking the clear truth, as well as the battles and betrayals of those he considered friends.

 

Did she love her son? Yes, there was no questioning that.

 

Did Nabiki love her son? Though Nabiki maybe had not realized it yet, her very actions and willingness to sacrifice her own life for Ranma's happiness and life showed how deep her feelings were for him. Even if she couldn't have him, she still wanted him to be happy. She refused to betray her sister to get him. It was obvious to Nodoka that Nabiki truly loved Ranma, a love so deep that she herself had no idea how far it ran.

 

But was the contract worth giving up learning of these things? What if this curse made her son so unmanly, that he would be forever a laughing stock to the clan, a shame beyond all hope of redemption? It was obviously Genma's fault for the curse, and from what she had been able to learn from Nabiki, it was obvious that her husband's idea of being manly was far different from her own. Nabiki had insisted that even in his cursed form, he was manlier than even his own father.

 

But was the price worth it?

 

Was the contract worth her son's suffering, his longing-ness to end his life, his fear of his mother's disapproval, his separation from her?

 

Was it honorable to hold a five-year-old to a contract his father had told him was a goodbye letter?

 

Nodoka removed the letter from the sheath of the honor blade, handing it over to Nabiki. “I am putting my faith in you child. I am trusting that the words you speak about my child are true, and that he has fulfilled this agreement. It however, does not negate the fact that should I find him an embarrassment to the clan, I will expel him from it.”

 

Nabiki took the agreement, quickly producing a lighter and burning it; such was the reason she carried the lighter, to remove `improper' documents from this world. “No offense Auntie, but considering that Genma is still a Saotome after all he has done, you'll understand if I have no such fears of you doing that to Ranma.”

 

Nodoka had lowered her head. It would be a lie for her to say she had no knowledge of what Genma had done. When shortly after the trip had begun, several people a month would come to her door, asking for her son as Genma had verbally sold him to them, arranged a marriage to their daughter through him, as well as created a huge debt by taking money for such things. She had managed to sweep most of it under the rug, including several disturbing police reports. She had kept enough of a track on her family to avoid the charges against Ranma that Ryuu had created by pretending to be Ranma, as well as the debt that Genma had made in Ranma's name; though how any police officer could have believed that a seven-year-old could have rang up a ¥100,000 bar tab was beyond her.

 

But through it all, she may have deluded herself into believing that it was all for the best.

 

But Nabiki was now calling her on it, essentially saying that since she had not banished Genma from the clan, a power everyone knew she had since she had the honor blade in her care, she could not judge Ranma to be lacking in anything, unless he had committed a crime so heinous, the military itself would need to chase him and the Emperor would be demanding his head. “Are you implying that I would judge my son unfairly?”

 

Nabiki smiled, as she was now in her element, a game of whit. “Not at all Auntie, just making certain that you are using the same stick to judge both your husband and your son.”

 

Nodoka forced a smile, regretting her earlier action of giving the contract to Nabiki, as it had seemed to shift the power of the room over to her. “Since you have removed the contract Nabiki, I do feel it is time for you to tell me of my son's curse as well as your secret.”

 

Nabiki took her tea. “I guess the best way would be to first ask you this: have you ever noticed how my cousin Ranko looks like you did when you were her age?”

 

The sound of Nodoka's empty cup hitting the table was all the evidence Nabiki needed to know that Nodoka had finally put two and two together. “Do not worry Auntie; it is only a temporary curse. You see, your husband decided to take Ranma to a cursed training ground, where if you fall into a pool, you take the appearance of whatever drowned there when hit with cold water, in respect to what you would have looked like had you been born like that. You husband fell into the Spring of Drowned Panda, while your son fell into the Spring of Drowned Girl. Hot water reverses the curse, until you get splashed again. It seems that part of the curse is to become a water magnet. I can't tell you how many times water seems to find your son. I swear a cold water spring would bust out from a barren desert to attack him.”

 

She stared as Nodoka's face continued to remain pale. “If it is any consolation, the two times Ranma's cursed side has been separated from his complete self, they have gone after your son like cats in heat. I guess your son is so manly, even his cursed girl half wishes to be with him.” Probably best if I don't tell her one of them was doing it to steal his life and the other was a clone from a mirror that would have slept with anything, though it did want Ranma more than anyone else.

 

“Oh my son is so manly, even his girl side wants to bear his children!”

 

Nabiki almost fell back to the floor, her seat now barely staying upright as her feet kept her from falling any farther, holding her current position by pushing against the bottom of the table. She had not expected that reaction from Nodoka, but knew it was a possibility. From their earlier talks, the best she could understand was that she hoped her son was manly enough for many women, but understood her husband was barely manly enough for one woman.

 

“Oh my, do you think we could separate them again, I'm certain that after a nice long talk, my son will do right by this young girl, perhaps she will consent to being his mistress?”

 

“Auntie, you do realize that for all logic and genetics, she would essentially be the daughter you never had? Would it be wise to ask Ranma to have that sort of relationship with someone who is his twin sister?”

 

“Yes, you would be correct; we'll have to have tests done to be certain.”

 

This girl is really beginning to scare me. Maybe coming to her for help was one of the stupidest ideas I could have come up with. Ling-ling and Lung-lung would have been better choices.

 

Nodoka shook her head. “Nabiki dear, what is this secret you needed my help for?”

 

Nabiki took a deep breath, trying to calm her frayed and obviously tortured nerves, having watched the Saotome matriarch go through several mood swings in under a minute. “Auntie, I need your help trying to appease the honor of Shampoo and Ukyo the only other two fiancées of Ranma's, besides my sister, who hold any place in his heart. I am not counting Kodachi Kuno as she is crazy and declared herself simply his fiancée by her own mad mind. Her, you may simply choose to adopt and try to help her heal the mental scars that have made her the way she is. She wants to bed Ranma's male side and wishes to kill his girl half, despite repeated attempts to make her see that they are both one and the same.”

 

“Why can't he simply take the others as mistresses?”

 

Nabiki shook her head, feeling like she was trying to teach a turtle to drive: no real point but will only lead to a headache. “Your son will not do such a thing. He wishes to marry someone under Japanese law, and should the mistresses wish for children, he would not be able to publicly claim them without dishonoring someone.”

 

Nodoka raised her hand to her chin. “Oh dear, I do suppose I could call in a favor from the Emperor, and ask him to allow my son multiple wives.”

 

Nabiki's feet were unable to keep her upright. After taking the time to reset her chair to its upright position and sit in it once again, she turned her attention back to Nodoka. “Excuse me; the Saotome clan has political pull with the Emperor?”

 

“Oh yes, our family lines have been intertwined for centuries now. In fact, it was the Saotome clan who helped his family line achieve their current position. Though I don't know if he would be able to help Ranma marry more than one woman, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.”

 

“Mrs. Saotome, this is what angers your son the most, people doing things like that, trying to plan out his life.”

 

“Isn't that what you are doing dear?”

 

“No, I am trying to make certain that no matter who Ranma chooses, he can do so without lose of honor to anyone.” Nabiki placed the Amazon Rule Book in front of Nodoka. “My family is easy. As many times as my father as well as his have acted dishonorably in trying to force the marriage between my younger sister and Ranma, it can simply be shown that their actions have invalidated any honorable contract, especially since the moment Genma sold Ranma for two fish, a bowl of rice, and a pickle, he immediately lost all parental rights to Ranma, meaning he has no son with which to fulfill the agreement. Ukyo, even though this would invalidate her agreement, has been just as tortured by her father, him stating that she would be allowed to return if she either killed Ranma and Genma, or become a Saotome. For her, adoption is the best option, though you will need to help her accept that Ranma will only be able to see her as a sister. I would suggest that as part of the adoption agreement, it is stated that Genma Saotome has no right to promise her as a fiancée to anyone, less we end up doing to her what her father did. Shampoo will be the hardest, as their rules force Shampoo to return with him as a husband, or lose her position, her humanity, or life as well as those of her family. I am hoping that between the two of us, we can come up with a way to restore her honor and keep her from receiving any punishment if Ranma doesn't choose her.”

 

“I am afraid I do not see this secret that you were talking about dear?”

 

Taking another deep breath, Nabiki began to explain the trip her and Ranma had taken to tour that university, noting how proud Nodoka was that her son was considering higher education, even after hearing how his grades were low because of his distractions from his father, Akane, the other fiancées, as well as the occasional rival and Happosai. When she got to the part of waking up in bed with Ranma, she could see the glow from Nodoka's face, imagining hearing her scream out how manly her son was, that was until Nabiki got to the part where Ranma had shown no signs of remembering that night of passion.

 

It was then that Nodoka's eyes widened to their limit. “Then the reason you would have had to wait a year before surrendering your life…”

 

Nabiki nodded, preparing to duck any oncoming onslaught. “Yes, is because I am pregnant.”

 

Nabiki wasn't fast enough to avoid the glomp; however she was left wondering where Nodoka had gotten those victory fans from. “Auntie, careful, the baby!”

 

That was enough to make Nodoka magically return to her side of the table, a new teacup in hand, silently drinking from it. “So, should be begin to plan the wedding?”

 

She was shocked when Nabiki said no. “Why dear, it is not best for the baby for you and my son to be wed immediately?”

 

Nabiki once again shook her head. “Ranma has far too often been forced to do what is best for everyone but himself. Not once has anyone thought of putting him firsts. Well, now I am. If we get married, he will do so because he wants to, because he loves me beyond all others, not because he is forced to do so for the baby. I will raise it alone without the father knowing about that he is the father if he doesn't choose me. I refuse to allow him to suffer anymore because of me. He deserves his chance at happiness.”

 

“You do realize child that without a father, both you and the child will be ronins, even in this day and age. No company will hire you beyond menial labor, and your child will have to fight an uphill battle for acceptance.”

 

Nabiki merely nodded her head. “I can easily change my last name and tell any who ask that the father died before the child was born, before he even knew a child was on the way. If they ask why I changed my last name, I will simply say my father would not accept the boy's death as an excuse for having a child out of wedlock, that his mental problems over my mother's death had resulted in him warping the meaning of family honor, showing me that I would never be welcomed by him, so it was better to start with a clean slate.”

 

“I am impressed child. But how is it you can think of this, but need help with maintaining the Amazon's honor. From your story, it would seem that they owe him several favors for the help he has provided them.”

 

“When you begin to read the book Auntie, you will see my concern.”

 

Nodoka looked at the book once more. “I will agree to help you child, but only on one condition. You must actively pursue my son; on this I will accept no compromise!”

 

Nabiki was now the one with wide eyes. “Auntie that would betray my sister. Granted sleeping with Ranma has done that, but since I am the only one to remember those events, I see no reason to destroy their chances.”

 

“It is simply dear. It is obvious that your sister will never accept my son, never trust him, you yourself had said as such. But if you wish to have a chance of being picked, you must try and have the engagement switched to you. An opportunity for this will be sure to present itself, judging by what you have said about dear Akane's temper. You must do this and honestly attempt to win my son's heart, to show that you do desire him and simply do not plan to lose him now that you are carrying his child. In two months time, I will arrive and ask him to choose; stating that whichever one he desires will be his only fiancée while the others will receive no dishonor. If he is worried about Shampoo, then I will call in my favors to have their backward little village removed from the map, showing them how insignificant their culture and ridiculous laws are. I shall not allow Shampoo to suffer because her rulers refuse to adapt to the new world. Do you agree to my terms now Ms. Tendo?”

 

Nabiki could only shake her head in agreement, before the two turned their attention to the Amazon Rule Book, hoping to save Shampoo should Ranma choose someone else, but both hoping Ranma would choose Nabiki, even if she wasn't ready to admit that yet.

 

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If I messed anything up, then let me know including typos.

 

Any suggestions on how I should continue the story or improve it would also be accepted.

 

Also, if you have any suggestions for how this should go, let me know. My own imagination, while vast, always enjoys a new thought. Also, catch me if you don't think I am making the characters true to form, or a way to make them better.

 

By the way, if you need any help with your stories or would like a fresh idea on what to write about for Ranma or Love Hina, let me know. I would be glad to help in any way I can.

 

BTW: My idea for Ranma: Take 2 for the conflict was for Akane to find a list of the other fiancées on Nabiki's computer, including a prototype letter to inform them that Ranma was off the market, and any deals they made with Genma were illegal and non-binding unless it was done with the current head of the Saotome clan's approval (as Nodoka was the head when Genma decided to begin to train Ranma). The list is just further proof to Akane that Ranma is a pervert interested in only one thing, as Nabiki never included any reasons for the fiancée arrangement. Seeing Kaori's name first, Akane decides to send this girl a letter, claiming to be Nabiki, asking her to come and claim Ranma, saying she doesn't want him anymore. When Ranma sees the letter and confronts Nabiki, she denies she sent it, but is hesitant to admit how she knows of the other fiancées. Ranma leaves for a while to think things over; while Nabiki deals with Kaori (it is too early for the Anything Goes Martial Arts Take-out race, so I will take suggestions on how to go about doing this). When that is settled, Nabiki figures out who really sent the letter, as it was too early for Kaori to arrive and the letter was sent from the Dojo. She then confronts Akane, who admits she did it to save her sister from the pervert, claiming that Nabiki should be thanking her for protecting her from Ranma. Nabiki then punches her sister, and declares that later on that night at the park; the two shall have a duel over who will be the heir to the Tendo School.

 

Tell me what you think.